sunghoon - dating hotline.

001 : the first message.

may 21st, 2021.

the k-pop industry was a hard place to be in. all the death threats, monthly evaluations, pressure, and getting your hopes up.

there she was, song haerin. she had just terminated her contract with starship after they didn't put her into the debut line of IVE. three years down the drain, all her progress was gone.

she tried her best not to let the tears fall, but all she could do was think of all the shit she had gone through to be treated like trash.

all the weight-ins where she could just gain one ounce and would be scolded, the diets she went through after her dance instructor told her she needed to lose weight to make the dance look neat.

it was bullshit, all bullshit.

as much as she was happy for her friends, all she thought of was how she would be able to bounce back after this.

the only company that accepted her — had rejected her debut dreams. haerin was lost, completely blindsided.

no words could assure her that she would be able to actually debut, her mind was fogged up. all she could do was sit on her bed and cry while hugging tightly onto her pillow.

that's when she got an email — about a dating hotline?

"what the fuck?" haerin muttered, her voice low from all her moments of wailing that echoed through her empty apartment.

"join the dating hotline, a place for people to find love and friends. all names will be kept until the two recipients talk for over a month." she read out as she sniffled.

maybe it was an off-day for haerin, all the things she went through in one day making her think about actually joining the hotline.

after considering the idea and calming herself down, haerin laid down on her stomach and started to create her profile silently.

프로필 (profile)

name — song haerin (송해린)
birthday — december 8, 2002 (19)
likes — figure skating, training, going on walks
dislikes — mint chocolate, bugs, crying, starship ent.

press enter and you will be sent to your match.

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you have been connected.

send the first message!

********

hi

hi
ive never actually done this before so
what do we do???

i guess we just talk?

whats there to talk abt we don't
even know each others names

uh i don't know

your profiles will now be revealed!

they're showing our names?

I doubt it

click here to view your match's profile!

name — **** ********
birthday — december 8, 2002 (19)
likes — figure skating, shopping, friends
dislikes — mint chocolate, bugs, hats, ghosts

oh we have the same birthday

wow we have a lot in common

so you figure skate?

yeah i used to do it professionally
but i quit a few years ago

oh me too

really? what academy did you go to?

i don't think we should tell eachother that just yet

okay maybe ur right

anyways uh how's your day?

it was sh****

no swearing is allowed in chats!

oops
but anyways
idk if I should be telling you this
but idc starship sucks

basically i trained for three years and they
picked trainees to debut in their next gg
but they didn't pick me

oh
im sorry

no it's fine i don't need pity
i just don't know what to do anymore
ive been crying while hugging my pillow for
about half an hour

if you want to know
there's a be:lift lab audition in two weeks
they're auditioning for a girl group

and how would you know that?
there's nothing on the internet about it

it was supposed to be released next week
I sorta have insider info
if you can call it that at least

what
are you a trainee or something?

my uncle is apart of the staff
totally did not debut | backspace

oh
anyways thank you whoever you are
maybe i will go

idk if we can use like code names uh
but you can call me
... penguin

really
penguin???

i couldn't think of anything else
that's the one I can think of without
exposing my identity

i don't know what to put for a nickname
uhm how about
strawberry

strawberry? really
that's worse than mine

ur right this name thing is hard...

but i guess i'll talk with you later strawberry
i have to sleep before my manager scolds me

same i should sleep now
goodnight

goodnight